


His Weakness

by rogue_1102



Series: Tiditz Tales [6]
Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst, F/M, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Memories, Self-Doubt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-18
Updated: 2020-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:20:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23199220
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rogue_1102/pseuds/rogue_1102
Summary: “Becoming Legendary was never in your destiny, Raditz. You were, and are, nothing more than cannon fodder. A pawn, easily sacrificed for the good of your race and King.”
Relationships: Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Tights Briefs/Raditz
Series: Tiditz Tales [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587997
Comments: 6
Kudos: 26
Collections: Celebration of Ruthless





	His Weakness

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ruthlesscupcake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ruthlesscupcake/gifts).



> Dedicated to: Ruthlesscupcake. A good friend, who has always been a constant source of encouragement and positivity, You make everything brighter when you’re around.
> 
> References to my other work [Growing Up](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20547485/chapters/48774503)  
> and some dialogue taken from Raditz show arc on Dragon Ball Z
> 
> I don’t Dragon Ball or any of its characters. Just playing with them in my sandbox.
> 
> Feel free to leave a comment, if you’re so inclined.

"...maybe one day, you'll actually present a challenge for me."

Raditz groaned as he felt along his arm and ribs, all the while listening to his Prince drone on. Despite the improved armour from his sister-in-law, it did not seem to matter to his sparring partner. If anything, the man seemed to take it as a personal goal to attempt to cause him damage that couldn't be absorbed by the redesign. 

He grunted as lightning hot pain raced up his body when his fingers found a tender area and he shot Vegeta a withering look. 

"Fuck you."

The Gravity Room door slid open, and he took a moment to wipe away the blood trickling from the corner of his mouth before exiting. At this point, he just wanted to go home to his wife and children. He was...tired of being a verbal and physical punching bag for the Prince of all Saiyans.

Instead of ceasing his taunts, or being mildly offended as Raditz expected, the sadistic smirk that seemed firmly cemented to the man's face broadened until it became a bone chilling smile. Vegeta took a long pull from his water bottle, and tossed the sweaty towel he’d been carrying at him.

"Seems I’ve hit a nerve. There’s no shame in not being on my level. You never were before, why should you be now?” 

The towel hit the back of his head, the moisture making his skin crawl, and landed with an audible ‘plop’ on the floor. Raditz halted in the middle of the gleaming hallway in order to turn around to face his attacker. Vegeta flexed his muscles, and effortlessly powered to the level of Super Saiyan. Even after seeing the smaller male transform countless times, it still created a sense of awe in him. It was more breathtaking than Oozaru.

“Becoming Legendary was never in your destiny, Raditz. You were, and are, nothing more than cannon fodder. A pawn, easily sacrificed for the good of your race and King.”

Raditz wanted to argue. The need to prove the man wrong pounded in his skull along with the memories of silencing those who mocked him with blood; however, he stopped himself. Alongside those echoes of victory were shadows of defeat, pain and embarrassment. Death.

Resignation replaced rage. He sighed and nodded his assent to his Prince's assessment. The cold smile faded from Vegeta's face and was replaced by his customary frown. 

“Leave. Weaklings have no place in the presence of gods.”

At his dismissal, Raditz placed his fist over his heart and bowed before leaving the compound. Bulma tried to speak with him, but he was in no mood for platitudes or well-meaning questions. He waved off her inquiry and nodded his goodbye without another word.

As he flew back towards his home, on the outskirts of West City, he replayed the final words the Prince of All Saiyans had gifted to him. 

_Weak_ : Lacking in strength, unworthy of being called a Saiyan. A title that he had bestowed upon others and one that he’d been called, seemingly, his whole life and most of his previous death. _Emotions and attachments make you weak._ That’s what he was taught. Now, he had his own attachments. His own emotions. 

_Pawn_ : something easily sacrificed and cast aside. In retrospect, he supposed that word fit him. In Frieza's employment, or enslavement if he was honest, he'd only ever been a throwaway soldier, constantly belittled and punished for perceived shortcomings. 

_Legendary_ : Until he had reawakened, he’d assumed that the super saiyan was nothing more than a legend - a tale told to recruits to push them to train harder. He had never thought to see it, yet his brother and Prince had ascended. The fact that Kakarot had managed it, and his power level had been minuscule compared to his, was still unthinkable.

A low growl thrummed in his throat. Just thinking of that... _runt_ caused the fur on his tail to stand on end in irritation. Despite the headway he had made with his brother's family, and his soft spot for his newest nephew, the animosity towards Kakarot blazed as hot and bright as the energy beam that had ended their lives. 

As he approached the house, a feeling of disquiet crept from the back of his neck to the tip of his tail. The lights were off, and there were none of the expected sounds. No giggles or cries from the twins, no TV playing reality shows, no... ambient sounds of any kind. His feet touched the ground, softly, and his nostrils flared as he scented the air. No lingering smell of smoke from Tights' attempts at cooking or spicy scent of the subsequent take away that always followed, only the fading essences of his family.

Something was wrong.

Raditz felt his pulse quicken and the unease spread across his chest. Instinctively, he lowered his energy and crept soundlessly up the stairs. The air inside felt thick, as if it were a physical emanation of his own increasing tension. He almost wished he had a scouter, but he could sense _ki_ signatures upstairs; however, instead of three, there were only two and one was too large to be anyone in his family.

_Barja, Rutar…_

A sharp intake of breath as he attempted to focus on their unique signatures but came away with nothing. 

_Tights…_

Her _ki_ was rising and falling erratically. 

Despite his initial concern for his children, Raditz knew he had to focus on the unknown enemy. He could not allow his sentiment...his _weakness_ for her impact his judgement or willingness to act.

Tapping down the initial urge to barrel into the situation, Raditz stealthily made his way towards the energy signatures placing each foot with deliberate exactness. Each step caused his muscles to groan in protest, but the persistent aches in his body from his sparring session were immaterial compared to the need to protect his mate. 

Raditz took a calming breath and, with a steady hand, pushed open the door to their den. 

Tights was there, and conscious, but any relief he might have felt dropped to the pit of his stomach at the sight of her battered appearance and the PTO uniform worn by her captor. 

Her fear, strong and pungent, permeated the room. Her clothes were torn, and bruises had started to mar her normally flawless skin. Faded tear tracks lined her face, and Raditz could smell dried blood and foreign ejaculate in the room. 

"Was wondering who would show up. Looks like Raditz the Runt managed to knock up a local and have some half-breed mongrels."

The officer's face was obscured by the shadows in the room, however, the massive hand that clutched his mate's clothes and held her aloft was clearly visible. Tights gripped the male's wrist and struggled to free herself, her legs thrashing violently. Seeing his mate full of fire, her will to fight unbroken, caused a moment of pride to briefly blossom in his chest.

Despite her feisty display, her eyes were wide and silently begging for his help. For a split second, he momentarily locked his gaze onto hers and tried to convey confidence. He would get her out of this...at least, he hoped he would. 

"Let her go."

Raditz stood tall and puffed out his chest, his gaze hard and focused. This foe was stronger than him, he could sense the differences in their power levels, but he didn't care. 

**_Never back down. She needs you._ **

The officer cackled in delight at his declaration, as if the very idea amused him, and tossed Tights against the nearby wall. Her body landed with a hard thud and a sickening crunch echoed in the room. She was breathing, but she did not move.

"NO!"

Energy began to crackle in his hands, and Raditz could feel a familiar fury start to course throughout his body. This interloper would pay for his assault upon his mate and for his audacity to defile his home with his presence.

 **_Find the weakness, Boy._ **

_No Pops. Not this time._

He lunged forward, hoping to catch his target off guard; however, the male moved and parried as if he knew what attacks were coming. Effortlessly, he deflected and landed punishing blows to Raditz's already damaged body.

Raditz grunted with each punch that connected, but did not ease up on his attacks. The bruised ribs soon became cracked, and searing energy burns littered his exposed skin. A wild swing, fluidly caught accompanied by a derisive laugh.

Snap!

His wrist - broken, again. The bones ground together, like sandpaper beneath his skin, sending the muscles into spasmodic tics. He didn't care. Pain was an old friend. He could push through and end this fight...couldn't he? 

Everything began to fade away, his focus only on his opponent; however, with each blow he managed to land, the PTO officer seemed to land double the amount. Raditz fell to his hands and knees, his body in agony as he spat blood onto the floor. He tried to get up, but his traitorous limbs would not obey him.

Heavy, booted feet walked towards his mate and a hand picked her up by the neck. A pause, and then an audible crack as the hand released her body and Tights stared back at him, her eyes full of pain and his name on her lips.

_She's still alive. Get up and kick this fucker's ass and then use the Dragon Balls. You can save her...save them. Be useful for once in your miserable life._

Shakily, he rose to his feet and swayed a little as he regained his balance.

"A new haircut and outfit doesn't change a thing. But don't worry. No one will miss you when you're gone."

Raditz stopped, shocked to hear those words again. His first kill...his first real victory. He stared at the figure and panted in exhaustion. He forced a smirk upon his face despite the angry tears running down it before reprising _his_ final words during his first battle.

"Soon, no one will know you existed."

He widened his stance and pulled all of his energy toward his center. One final attack. One final blow... _for her...for them_. _Hold on, Tights._

"DOUBLE SUN-"

A scorching blast, seemingly from nowhere; however, he felt it pierce through his armor and exit his chest. Raditz lurched forward, staggering slightly, and looked down. A sizzling hole seared through his chest cavity...like so long ago.

"Tights…"

He reached out to her, his voice wavering and his hand trembling when he saw the light begin to fade from her eyes. A voice, full of scorn, came from behind him.

_**"What's wrong? You sound a little scared, Brother."** _

_Kakarot…?_

_No…Not again…_

Raditz closed his eyes. He sank to his knees and gaped at his wound before looking at his wife. Tights was motionless and stiff, but beside her were two additional bodies - small, with recognizable, spiky hair.

Gone. They were gone, and he could do nothing to stop it. His family, destroyed again. This time not by a planet killing blast, but by his own… _weakness_. 

There was nothing left, no one left. Nothing left but anger and a deep seated rage that coursed through him as quickly as his blood poured on the floor. He was alone...again.

 _"GAHHHHHHHRRRGGHHHHH_ …"

A guttural and deep seated scream erupted from his throat. He'd kill all of them...that bastard and Kakarot, and then maybe, just maybe, he'd see his family again before being sent back to Hell.

\----------------

The windows rattled and the house shook violently on its foundation. Tights heard his inhuman bellow, full of wrath and fury, from downstairs in her office and rushed up the stairs. As she crested the top, a giant rush of energy followed by the sound of glass and breaking timber threw her back into the wall and knocked several pictures down around her.

The twins were crying, and she rushed to check on them. They trembled in their beds, scared and confused at what had woken them up so violently. Tights embraced her children, comforted by the way they nuzzled into her chest, and took them outside.

As she opened the door, the form of her brother-in-law settled onto the front lawn. A deep frown was etched upon his face, and his normally hard eyes held a hint of concern as he surveyed the second story. Tights turned and gasped, completely unprepared for the sight that greeted her. The bedroom was blown apart, the remains of a curtain blowing lightly in the breeze, and a bright glow emanated from the remains of the room. 

"Stay here. I have no doubt the Woman, and the rest, will not be far behind...she can assist you."

Vegeta went to walk around her; however, she quickly handed him a twin and began to turn back towards the house.

"No...I'll handle this."  
  
The man scoffed and regarded her with a condescending quirk of his brow.

"Tch! This is beyond you. You cannot hold him back if he loses himself again and..."

Tights leveled an intense glare in the Saiyan's direction, effectively halting his argument. 

"He's _my_ husband...and he needs me. Not you."

Vegeta huffed, but nodded his acquiescence and Tights could almost see a faint look of approval on his normally grim features.   
  
Cautiously, she walked inside and back towards the remains of their bedroom and the pulsing glow. Tentatively, she placed her feet amid the sheet rock and broken supports until she crossed the demolished threshold of their den.

Raditz was standing there, naked, with dust and cuts coating his skin. Energy, like she'd only seen from him once before, was encircling and crackling around his body. His hair - golden. His skin - pale and ashen. His eyes, now a bluish green but haunted, fearful and lost.

"Raditz?"

He looked up at her, as if he just noticed her arrival. He took a step but stopped and looked around himself, fully seeing the damage. He looked at his hands and back at her before his limbs began to shake and he fell to his knees.

His mouth started to move, but all that came out was a jumble of Saiyan words Tights didn't recognize. 

"Shhhh. It's OK. Rad,...don't try to speak." 

Raditz shook his head, obviously frustrated, and Tights could feel the energy increase in the room, but she moved closer nonetheless. His head sank to his chest.

**You died...I woke... bed cold..you, gone.**

His fingers clumsily moved in the sign language she had taught him when they had first met. The closer she approached, the more intense the energy became until finally she was in front of him.

**I thought...you...kids...gone. Me, alone. Scared...weak.**

With each word, each sign, the anguish and self-loathing was clear upon his face. Tights could see him become rigid, his muscles coiling beneath his skin like a big cat, in preparation to flee. 

Her husband would never consciously hurt her, but in his current state he might; however, she was not intimidated by this fact. His restraint showed her that he was in some semblance of control. She trusted him and, now, he needed her to show the same towards him.

"Raditz...I'm not gone. The children are fine. We're here. You're OK."

Despite the waves of heat rolling off of her husband, Tights wrapped her arms around him. Raditz stiffened, and made to pull away; however, her hold was firm. 

Relenting to her gentle touch, the energy subsided and his hair turned back to its normal dark color. Tights carded her fingers slowly through his hair, softly stroking his thick tresses. She felt his burly arms encircle her, bunching her clothes tightly in his fists, and his shoulders began to shake. Small spots of wetness stained the front of her nightclothes, but she clutched him harder as her own tears began to silently streak down her cheeks.

_You're not weak Raditz. You're stronger than you know…why can't you see that? I promise I'll make sure you never forget._


End file.
